Field of the Invention
This invention relates to covers for hypodermic needles and is particularly concerned with covers that will prevent accidental needle stick injuries and transmission of infection to healthcare workers and others.
Among the covers proposed to reduce instances of needle stick injuries resulting from the return of a used needle to a cover are those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,571,654, 3,780,734, 4,425,120, 4,801,295 and 4,867,746, all of which are intended to slide downwardly over the used needle. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,573,976 and 4,643,722 are directed to guards that move across the needle head end of a syringe to rest that needle in a groove or slot of the guard. Also, needle protectors that cap over a needle are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,381,813 and 4,659,330, and a cradle with a closed needle end stop is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,443. A similar device is shown in United Kingdom Patent No. 2,202,446A, and telescoping guards are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,804,372 and 4,840,272.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,559,042, 4,573,975 and 4,629,453 disclose covers having enlarged disks surrounding a needle receiving opening, with the disks intended to deflect errant needles and to protect the fingers of the user grasping the covers behind the disks.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,610,667 and 4,623,336 disclose covers having cylindrical needle receiving barrels with funnel shaped receiving ends. A funnel shaped end to direct a needle into the barrel so as to protect the fingers of a user grasping the barrel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,034 discloses a cover that utilizes both a funnel shaped end on a cylindrical receiving barrel and a disk extending outwardly from the barrel as secondary protection for the fingers of a user grasping the barrel.
In using any of the covers disclosed in the previously identified patents, the cover is pulled or pushed onto the needle or the needle is pushed into the cover with that needle being moved toward the user's fingers or with the user's fingers moved towards the needle.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,658,061, 4,664,259 and 4,659,330 disclose covers that pivot off needles and then pivot back onto the needles after the needles have been used. These patents require the use of hinged body structures that are relatively expensive to construct and that have slots to permit the covers to pivot over the used needles. The slots remain unsealed, thus reducing the protection offered.
None of the cited patents involve the cradle syringe holder and ribbing therefore like that of the present invention.